disaster preparedness & response

When disaster strikes, we help communities get back on their feet.

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ready for anything

In times of crisis, we make sure our partners have everything they need. Our work with organizations like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)link opens in a new window helps communities prepare for tough situations. When a disaster strikes, we’re on the scene quickly providing supplies, volunteers and distribution networks through relief organizations. All year round, we provide relief partners with local donations and annual funding, and we encourage our neighbors across the country to support them too.

a ready team

The more we help our team members prepare in advance of severe weather and other disasters, the easier it is for them to help their communities to quickly recover. We provide team members tips on how to keep themselves and their families safe, conduct preparedness drills throughout the year and provide hotlines to call in case of emergency. Target is also a key supporter of America’s PrepareAthon!, a nationwide, community-based campaign launched by FEMA to increase preparedness and resiliency. As a part of the campaign, we support and engage our team members in community preparedness events throughout the year.

Big City Emergency Managers Forum

Target is the sole retail sponsor of the Big City Emergency Manager’s forum (BCEM), which is held bi-annually to provide directors of emergency management in the 15 largest cities an opportunity to explore and discuss the specific needs and challenges facing their communities. The BCEM group has the ability to influence policy decisions at the national level for emergency management, and Target participates in the forum to understand the challenges facing large cities and identify potential partnership opportunities.

Emerging leaders from emergency management organizations across the U.S. convened at Target headquarters to kick off a special learning and networking opportunity in partnership with our team members.

our local support

We're committed to the communities we serve, so when disasters occur, we partner with local organizations to help those in need and protect our team members and guests. Some of our recent efforts include:

Hurricane Matthew – October 2016
We’re donating $400,000 to assist impacted communities in the U.S. and the Caribbean. Included is $100,000 in Target GiftCards to The Salvation Army, to be distributed across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina; $100,000 to the American Red Cross to provide food and shelter for impacted families and enable a rapid cleanup response; $25,000 to Team Rubicon to aid in cleanup and $25,000 in Target GiftCards to local organizations for essential supplies; and $75,000 to both Save the Children and UNICEF to support response and recovery in impacted areas of the Caribbean, including Haiti.

Louisiana floods – August 2016
We donated up to $400,000 in support of flood relief efforts in Baton Rouge, La., and surrounding communities. Included is $100,000 to the Salvation Army and $100,000 (plus up to $50,000 additional to match team member donations) to the American Red Cross to aid shelter and relief efforts; $30,000 to support recovery efforts for impacted local schools; $100,000+ of food to local food banks; and $20,000 in Target GiftCards to local nonprofits for additional necessities.

Texas floods – May and June 2016
We donated $200,000 in continued support of flood relief efforts in Texas, including $100,000 in Target GiftCards to be distributed by the Salvation Army through Multi-Agency Resource Centers (MARCs) across the state, an $85,000 grant to the American Red Cross to help provide food and shelter for impacted families and aid clean-up response, and $15,000 in Target GiftCards to local organizations for needed supplies.

Texas floods – April 2016
We donated $125,000 to assist with flood relief efforts in Texas, including a $110,000 cash and in-kind donation to the American Red Cross to support shelter, feeding and clean-up response, and $15,000 in GiftCards to help the communities and surrounding impacted regions recover.

Southern U.S. floods – March 2016
We donated $50,000 to assist with flood relief efforts in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi, including $40,000 cash to the American Red Cross to support shelter, feeding and clean-up response, and $10,000 in GiftCards to help the communities and surrounding impacted regions recover.

Winter Storm Goliath – December 2015
We donated $100,000 to assist with relief and recovery efforts from recent flooding, tornadoes and severe winter storms in impacted southern states and the surrounding region, including $85,000 cash to the American Red Cross and $15,000 in GiftCards to local non-profits for items needed to help the community recover.

South Carolina floods – October 2015
We donated up to $125,000 to aid response and recovery efforts, including a $95,000 cash and in-kind donation to the American Red Cross (plus up to $5,000 additional to match team member donations) $15,000 in product to support community water needs and shelter supplies, and $10,000 in GiftCards to local non-profits for cleanup supplies for impacted communities.

Northern California wildfires – September 2015We donated $30,000 to aid response and recovery efforts, including a $20,000 cash donation to the American Red Cross (plus up to $5,000 additional to match team member donations) and $5,000 in GiftCards to local non-profits supporting impacted communities.

Texas and Oklahoma storms and floods – May 2015
We donated $100,000 to aid relief efforts, including $75,000 cash donation to the American Red Cross (plus $10,000 additional to match team member donations) and $15,000 in GiftCards to local non-profits responding to impacted communities. Our support will help provide shelter, food and cleanup support for people in need.

Nepal earthquake – April 2015
We donated $150,000 to Save the Children to support disaster relief efforts in the earthquake-affected areas in and around Nepal. Our support provides food, water, sanitation, shelter, healthcare resources, protection and additional support for children and families impacted.

keeping watch

Our Corporate Command Center (C3) in Minneapolis helps us keep an eye on potential issues where we do business. Operating round the clock, the C3 uses cutting-edge technology to monitor severe weather and other events around the world that could affect guests and team members, and connects our teams so we can respond quickly to almost any situation.